Signaling device for vehicles.



K. MYGrATT. SIGNALING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION' FILED FEB. 6

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

2 8HEETS-SHEET 1.

conuuau PLANOGRAPH cu. WASHINGTON. u. c.

K. MYGATT. SIGNALING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

' APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

C0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

KENNETH MYGA'IT, 0F PELHAM MANOR, NEW YORK.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed February 6, 1912. Serial No. 675,846.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, KENNETH MYGATT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pelham Manor, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devices for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to signaling devices for motor vehicles and the like, and the primary object of the invention is to secure a simple, cheap and effective device producing a warning signal of a character which may be heard under practically all conditions of city and suburban travel. The device is so constructed that it may be readily mounted in connection with a rotating part of any car, and the controlling device and operative connections therefrom may be mounted in any desired position on the vehicle.

To these ends the invention consists of the devices substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings,

in one of its preferred embodiments, in

which Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation partly in section and partly broken away, of a motor-vehicle having the signaling device attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view partly broken away, of the vehicle and apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, sufficient parts of an automobile runabout have been illustrated diagrammatically to show means for operatively connecting the signaling device to the car.

A represents the front wheels connected by the axle B, and O represents the rear wheels connected by the axle D. The reaches E and F of the frame are shown broken away and G represents the location of the dust-pan also broken away. The steeringpost H is provided with the usual steeringwheel J, and K represents the position of the dash-board relative to the steering-post.

In those cars in which internal expanding brakes are provided for the rear wheels, there is usually a cooperating housing or casing L around the brake shoes, and secured to the wheel so that this casing rotates with the wheel. In accordance with this invention a toothed member is removably secured to a rotating part of the vehicle, as

for instance, the rotating casing L and a cooperating member is stationarily supported relative to the toothed member, as by attachment to the non-rotating axle D, or to a nonrotating sleeve upon said axle, in accordance with the particular construction of the car.

I prefer to construct the toothed member in the form of a star-wheel rim in sections and as shown, 0 and P represent the sections of the star-wheel rim having the teeth Q extending outwardly in the plane of the toothed member. These sections are pro-- vided with lugs R adapted to be suitably boltrid together around the casing or housing A bracket or holder S having the base flanges T is adapted to be secured to the axle D as by means of the straps U having the securing bolts V. The bracket or holder S is provided with the bent arm W recessed at X and provided with the jaws Y for holding the spring tongue Z which is adapted to cooperate with the teeth on the starwheel rim. A plate a is preferably mounted in the recess X, and provided with the stem Z). The tongue Z is adjustably screwed to the plate a as by means of the pins 0 passin through the slots d in the tongue an screwed into the plate X. By sliding the plate X in its holder, the tongue may be brought into engagement with the starwheel teeth or disengaged therefrom. When the tongue is in engagement with the teeth, the signal is sounded, which is in the nature of a rattle, producing a sharp and strident note which can be heard above the din of Suitable means are provided for operating the signal controlled from a convenient position on the car- I prefer to control the signal from a position adjacent the steering apparatus and in this instance a tension spring 6 is secured to the arm W at one end and secured to the loop f on the stem 3) atthe other end, so that said spring normally tends to force the tongue Z into engagement with the teeth Q. A cord or chain 9 is connected to the stem 7) and passes longitudinally of the car over the pulley h suitably secured to the reach E, thence over the pulley y, suitably secured to the dust-pan Gr, thence over the pulley 70 secured to the steering-post H and is connected to one end of a controller or hand operating device 0 pivoted at p to the steering-post, The other end of the controller or arm 0 is connected by a retracting spring (I to the steeringpost. The retracting spring 9 is preferably stronger that the tension spring 6 on the stem 7) so that the controller or arm 0 is normally retracted as shown in Fig. 1, and the tension spring a is normally under tension, thereby maintaining the spring tongue Z normally out of engagement with the toothed member. By pressing down on the end of the cont-roller to which the cord or chain 5 is attached, the tension spring 6 will act to force the plate X longitudinally in its holder and carry the tongue Z into engagement with the teeth, thereby sounding the signal. I have illustrated one suit- *ble form of controller and operative connections between the controller and the spring tongue, but obviously other suitable devices and connections may be devised for this purpose. The operative connections I have shown do not interfere with the operative parts of the car andmay be convenient-ly manipulated by the driver. The cooperating parts of the signaling device, a the star-wl'ieel rim, the bracket or holder, and the spring tongue, are so devised and mounted on the car that they do not interfere with the driving connections, the brake, or the parts of the frame. The effective portion of the spring tongue may be varied by loosening the pins 0 and adjusting the position of thetongue on the plate X- The parts of the signaling device may be readily removed for repairs or adjustment and it is to be understood that parts of different sizes should be supplied for cars of different sizes, depending upon the size of the axle or sleeve and the size of the brake housing L.

The device is simple and cheap to manufacture and produces an effective signal, which is not liable to get out of order and complies with the requirements and condi 1. A. signaling device for vehicles, comprising a member adapted to be secured to a rotating part of the vehicle and provided with peripheral teeth ext-ending outwardly in the plane of said member, a holder adapted to be stationarily secured to another part of the vehicle adjacent the toothed member, a spring tongue radially movable on said holder relatively to the toothed member and normally out of engagement with the toothed member, and means for moving said spring tongue into engagement with the teeth on the toothed member to sound the signal by impact of the tongue against the teeth.

2. A signaling device for vehicles, comprising a star-wheel rim formed in sections and adapted to be clamped to a rotating part of the vehicle, a holder adapted to be tationarily secured to another part ofthe .vehicle and extending into proximity to the )risin a. toothed member ada ated to be l a: l

actuated by a rotating part of the vehicle, a spring tongue slidable into and out of engagement with the teeth on said toothed member, a tension spring for forcing said tongue into engagement with ,the toothed member, a controlling device mounted on the vehicle, operative connections between i Vitnesses HERBERT Gr. OGDEN, f M. M. REIMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

